First things first: hip dips are normal, athletic, and beautiful. They are simply a part of human anatomy, and having them says nothing about your health or strength. In fact, many athletes have hip dips because of how muscles and bones are structured.
I myself (Scarlet Birkas aka @ fitbyscar ) have hip dips and love the athletic apperence of them!
That said, fitness is also about personal preference. If you love your hip dips, amazing. If you prefer a rounder silhouette, that’s valid too. While you can’t completely “get rid of hip dips” (because they’re shaped by bone structure), you can absolutely minimize their appearance with smart training, nutrition, and muscle growth strategies.
Here’s how to do it the right way.
1. Understand What Causes Hip Dips
Hip dips are the inward curves found below your hip bone and above your thighs. They are influenced by:
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Your pelvis structure
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How your femur (thigh bone) connects
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Distribution of fat and muscle around the hips and glutes
Since you can’t change bone structure, the goal is to add muscle mass and strategically target areas that fill out the dip.
2. Increase Overall Lower-Body Muscle Mass
If your body frame is naturally lean, adding muscle to your glutes, quads, and hamstrings can balance out your shape. More mass = more curves, which reduces the contrast of dips.
Science-backed tip: Focus on progressive overload with compound lifts like squats, hip thrusts, and Romanian deadlifts. These build total glute and leg size.
3. Target Glute Medius and Side Glutes
The glute medius and minimus muscles sit at the side of your hips. Building these helps “round out” the outer hip area and minimizes the shadow of a hip dip.
Best weighted exercises for side glute growth:
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Side-lying hip abductions (clamshells, leg raises)
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Lateral band walks
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Curtsy lunges
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Cable hip abductions
4. Build the Upper Glutes (Glute Max)
Strong upper glutes add lift and shape to the hips, which smooths the transition from waist to thigh.
Effective moves:
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Barbell hip thrusts
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Bulgarian split squats
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Step-ups with a glute focus
5. Dial In Nutrition for Muscle Growth
Muscle needs fuel. If you’re eating in a large deficit, your body won’t add the mass needed to change your shape. To minimize hip dips:
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Eat enough protein (1 - 1.3 g per lb of bodyweight)
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Fuel workouts with balanced carbs and fats
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Aim for a slight calorie surplus if your main goal is growth
6. Train Your Core for Balance
A strong, stable core helps your posture and balance, making your hips look more sculpted overall. Focus on moves that train deep core muscles like planks, dead bugs, and Pallof presses rather than endless crunches.
Bringing It All Together
Hip dips are natural and beautiful. You don’t need to change them to be worthy, strong, or confident. But if your personal goal is to minimize their appearance, the best approach is to build overall lower-body muscle, target side glute growth, and follow a nutrition plan (try my Booty Builder) that supports muscle development.
From one hip dip girlie to another, you're beautiful and perfect as is. Talk soon!
Love, Coach Scar
